Tag Archives: locals

Not-so-diplomatic incidents

Posted on May 3, 2012 by

I was sitting in Starbucks, waiting for Younger Daughter’s riding lesson to end, and I’d brought along a book to help pass the time. When the first laugh popped out, it took me by surprise. I checked to see if … Continue reading →

Posted in Book review | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Expat women in Singapore: The skinny on being skinny

Posted on April 12, 2012 by

My honeymoon period in Singapore ended the first time I went clothes shopping and discovered I’d become “plus sized” overnight. I wouldn’t have minded if it weren’t for one thing: I weighed all of 120 pounds. That’s 54½ kilograms. Eight … Continue reading →

Posted in Adjustment, Singapore | Tagged , , , , , , , | 19 Comments

Happy Saint ex-Pat’s Day

Posted on March 15, 2012 by

St. Patrick’s Day is almost here, but before you take that first sip of Guinness or tuck into your corned beef and cabbage, consider this: the patron saint of Ireland — the man in whose name people around the world … Continue reading →

Posted in Adjustment, Culture Shock | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Comfort in the crosshairs

Posted on December 14, 2011 by

It’s fast approaching the end of the year, which means we have time for just one more Expat Dispatches for 2011. As always, your faithful expat dispatchers from the four corners of the globe are: North: Linda in The Netherlands … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture Shock, NSEW Guest Post | Tagged , , , , , , | 9 Comments

An Unhappy Truth

Posted on October 13, 2011 by

NorthSouthEastWest: Expat Dispatches   We’re back — four intrepid souls who swap guests posts each month from the far corners of the globe. We are: North: Linda in the Netherlands (Adventures in Expatland) South: Russell in Australia (In Search of a Life … Continue reading →

Posted in NSEW Guest Post | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 22 Comments

The rise and fall of a pseudo expat tai tai

Posted on June 13, 2011 by

I once made a group of Singaporean estheticians cry, and it was all Lihong’s fault. Lihong, my Mandarin tutor, was a Chinese national with a graduate degree in Chinese language and literature. Unfortunately, she’d only been living in Singapore a … Continue reading →

Posted in Adjustment, China, Culture Shock, Language, Singapore | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Openness to Experience

Posted on April 21, 2011 by

This is Orla’s first experience with overseas living, and she’s absolutely thrilled with her expat life so far. She feels a bit like a kid in a candy store: so many things to do, see, taste, smell! She loves talking … Continue reading →

Posted in Adjustment, Identity | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Extraversion

Posted on April 14, 2011 by

Eiko is a firecracker. Chatty, expressive, and self-confident, she lives a fast-paced life and wouldn’t have it any other way. A self-described “people person,” she loves being the centre of attention at parties, and feels at home in a crowd. … Continue reading →

Posted in Adjustment, Identity | Tagged , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Agreeableness

Posted on April 7, 2011 by

Everyone who meets Anna is struck by her warm and caring nature. She never has an unpleasant word to say about anyone. Because she’s good at bridging differences between people, she has become a den mother of sorts at her … Continue reading →

Posted in Adjustment, Identity | Tagged , , , , , , | 20 Comments

Working abroad? Beware the “small talk” trap

Posted on March 24, 2011 by

The business press is rife with horror stories about the disastrous results of intercultural miscommunication. Even when they speak the local language, expat employees are often frustrated by their inability to understand and be understood in a foreign corporate environment. … Continue reading →

Posted in Adjustment, Culture Shock, Identity, Singapore | Tagged , , , , , , , | 16 Comments